TEMPE, Ariz. -
With the Minor League Baseball season having come to a close, it was a very successful year for former Arizona State baseball players. 44 former Sun Devils shined during the 2006 minor league season and seven former Devils helped lead their respective teams to League titles. Three members of the 2006 Sun Devils found themselves on title teams, led by Colin Curtis, who helped the Staten Island Yankees claim the New York/Penn League championship, and Tony Barnette, who won six games for the Pioneer League champion Missoula Osprey. Daryl Arreola also made one appearance and picked up a win for the eventual Pacific Coast League and Triple A Champion Tucson Sidewinders.

Erik Averill, who pitched for ASU from 2003 to 2005, helped lead the West Michigan Whitecaps to the Midwest League title, and Jeremy West, who was a Devil from 2001 to 2003, was on the Eastern League champion Portland Sea Dogs.

Ben Thurmond, a Sun Devil in 2003, helped the Reno Silver Sox to the independent Golden League's championship. Scott Goodman, who was on the 1999 Sun Devils, played for the independent Northern League's champion, the Fargo-Moorhead Redhawks.

Travis Buck (2003-05) hit a combined .320 with Stockton (A) and Midland (AA), collecting 50 extra base hits. The first round pick of the Oakland A's in 2005 also appeared in the Future's Game at All-Star Weekend in Pittsburgh.

Tuffy Gosewisch (2002-05), playing for the Philadelphia Phillies single A affiliate Clearwater, was named as the Best Defensive Catcher in the Florida State League by Baseball America.

Jeff Larish (2002-05) was among the Florida State League's leaders in home runs, belting 18 for the Lakeland Tigers.

Pat Bresnehan (2004-06) was named the Williamsport Crosscutters Pitcher of the Year. Bresnehan was the fifth round pick of the Pittsburgh Pirates in June. Another member of the 2006 Sun Devils, Zechry Zinicola, moved quickly through the Washington Nationals farm system. Zinicola, who was a sixth round pick in June, began his career at short-season Vermont before being promoted all the way up to Double A Harrisburg. He allowed six earned runs in 27 total appearances, finishing the year with a 4-1 record and 12 saves.

In addition to the minor league success, four Sun Devils made their Major League debuts in 2006, bringing the total number of Devils currently in the Majors to nine and the overall number of Major League Sun Devils to 86. Ian Kinsler (Texas Rangers), Andre Ethier (Los Angeles Dodgers), Dustin Pedroia (Boston Red Sox) and Dennis Sarfate (Milwaukee Brewers) all made their big league debuts, joining Barry Bonds (San Francisco Giants), Willie Bloomquist (Seattle Mariners), Chris Duffy (Pittsburgh Pirates), Jon Switzer (Tampa Bay Devil Rays) and Paul Lo Duca (New York Mets) in the Majors. Lo Duca's Mets have already clinched their first National League East title since 1988 and will be in the postseason for the first time since 2000. He made his fourth All-Star appearance in 2006, starting for the National League at Catcher. Ethier's Dodgers and Bonds' Giants also are in contention for a berth in the Major League Baseball playoffs.

Key:AAA- Triple AAA- Double AA- Single A (Hi: Fl. State League, Carolina, California or Lo: Midwest, South Atl.)SS- Short Season AR- RookieInd.- Independent*- Indicates Major League Playing Time in 2006#- Indicates team won league championship in 2006